Body and limb developer



n om.- 23, 1923.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 23 923.

1,471,749 E. R. MONROE BODY AND LIMB DEVELOPER Filed June 26. 2 L922 C Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

[dn/a /E/Vomoe A TTORN E Y.

Patented 9ct. 23, y 1923.

. EDWARD R. MONROE, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

BODY AND LIMB DEVELOPER.

V.Application ined-June 26, 1922. Serial'No. 570,944.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. MONROE, a citizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of Bay City,'in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Body and Limb Developers, of Which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention` relates to body and limb 10 developers, and particularly to a device for developing the muscles andlimbs of physically deformed children and individuals who are unable to use their legs, arms or portions of their body in a normal manner. y

One object of the invention is to provide a vehicle having resilient ground engaging wheels and equippedy with braces having resilient means such` assprings secured thereto for assisting the individual in taking steps and exercising the limbs ,andy body.

. Another object is to provide a vehicle havin a tiltable steering member which can be tilted upwardly to provide ample space from the vehicle.

A still further object is tofdesign a veryy durable, smooth, easily propelled vehicle,

so that the occupant may propel it with the least possible effort, this" is very essential as vthe majority of the patients have but very little strength in their limbs and body when first attempting to use the bodyv and limb' developer, they however' gainA considerable strength after using the device for a periodvof time.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, herein-y after vmore-fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out jin the Vappended, claims, it being understood that changes maybe made inthe form, size,'proportion of thejdevice and shape ofthe braces without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the' invention." Y Y In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improvedy developer illustrating VaY patient seated ytherein'.

Fi 3 is a front sectional view taken on thehne 3-"-3 of Figurel and looking in jthe direction of the arrows."A l

for the patient mounting or dismounting Fig. 2 is a top Vplan view of the developer. n

Fig 4 is a front view illustrating` the steering means and showing in dotted lines the position the front axle will assume when one wheel falls into a rut or hole.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the links to which the braces are secured. y

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view ofone of the leg braces. f u Referring now particularly to the drawings in'which I have shownthe preferred embodiment of myv invention, the device comprises a main frame' made up of a cen` tral longitudinally extending member l hav- Y ing front andrear axles 2 and 3 respectively` secured thereto, these axles being supported on the ground engaging wheels 4 in the usual manner, the rear axle extends up and over the wheels forming a yoke 5 integra-lv with the axle,and between which the wheelsV v are pivoted, in the front axle the yoke is formed separately and is provided with laterally extending lugs 5a between which the'ends of the front axle 2 are pivoted by means'V of the bolt member 6, and it will be obvious that these'wheels are free to swing around this pivoting point as required.

The Arear end of the center longitudinal member l is flared and isl rigidly secured to the rear axle by means of bolts or the like, but the front end is pivotally secured to the front axle by means of the longitudinally extending bolt member 7 to allow the axle to pivot to compensate for unevenness in the ground and when one wheel is higher than the other. y

.A steering member 8 is provided and is formed with a fiat depressed top on which toys, food,'or other articles may be placed, handles 8a` extending therefrom yand ,are

adapted to be graspedby the occupant for.`

j on the shank 9 and rests on fthe frainel steering rods l2 being pivotally connected to this member 1l, the opposite ends of the said rods being pivotally connected to outv wardly yextending arm 13` formed integral with the front yokes and it will be obviousv that by turning the steering gear the front f wheels can" be turnedy accordingly.

A boss 14 is also secured on the shank 9' and is provided with a forked laterally ex` tending` ear 14 to which the steering member 8 is pivotally attached by means Of the pin 15 to enable the member to be swung` upwardly as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the drawings,*thereby providing' ample space for the occupant to get into or leave the device, and this is an essential feature as the majority of patieiits have very little control or use of their limbs.

A seat 16 having downwardly projecting` portions 16a is secured between the center franiemembers by means of 'bolts 17, several holes being provided in order that the seat may be located to suit the occupant and a standard 18 is pivotally secured to the rear of the seat at the point 19, a series of openings 2O being provided intermediate its length andV to which a corset 21 is secured, a head rest 22 also secured near the top of the standard together with a suitabletop, or sun shade 23 which may Vbe used when the occupant is in the sun, and it will be obvious that the corset, head rest and shade are adjustable to suit patients of different sizes. A lug 24 is formed integral with this standard, a threadedr openingV being provided therein and is adapted to receive an adjusting bolt 25 for adjusting the standard and limiting thev backward movement thereof, the end of said bolt normally resting on :i lip 1Gb which projects from the seat While the backward movement of the standard is limited, it may swing forwardly at 3l, and. adjustable links 32 and 33 are pivoted to these links by means of pins Sel, the opposite ends of these links are pivotally connected to braces 35 which are strapped to the legl `of the patient by means of the straps 36, and it will be understood that these links must necessarily be lengthened or shortened to suitr the patient, springs 3'? areanchored to the links as shown, the opposite ends being anchored Vto the longitudinallv extending frame members, and as the patient forces the legs forwardly andrests the foot on the floor, vit will be necessary to,

exert apressure on the foot to' force the developer. forward and this action is aided :by the springs 37, therefor, movement of the developer is dependent on the patients power and ability to exert a pressure on the muscles of the legs, continuous effort and thedesire to move from one spot to another rapidly develops and builds up` these leg muscles, so that in a comparatively short time the patient is able to propel himself without aid and in an entirely satisfactory manner. The movement of 'the developer is not altogether dependent upon the legs of the patient, as the muscles of the entire body are brought into play, this is especially noticeable in patients whose leg muscles are undeveloped and weak whenfirst learning to operate the device, they will endeavor to move by throwing the body forwardly thereby utilizing momentarily, the momentum of the weight of body, the hands grasping the handles of the steering member for support,

and aid in stretching the spring 26 thereby utilizing all of the muscles of the body.

lVhile in the present instance I have shown a simple form of leg brace, it will be obvious that-many different kinds and forms can be attached without departing from the spirit of my inventionr as each patient requires a` slightly different type of brace which must ofttimes be changed as development progresses.

W'hat l claim is y1. A body andl limb'developer comprising a frame, ground engaging wheels thereon, anr adjustable seat, and body supporting means secured thereto, and leg braces pivotally andresiliently connected to the frame.

2. Akbody and limb developer comprising a frame, ground engaging wheels revolubly mounted` thereon, ana'djustable seat a bodyV` support connected theretoand having resilient connection with the frame, and braces pivotallyconnected to the frameand adapted tobe connected to legs of the patient.'

v Abody and limb developer comprising a frame, front and rear axles having ground engaging wheels mounted thereon, means seat, a back support connected to the seat, a corset connected to the support and engaging the patients body, and leg braces pivotally and resiliently connected to the frame andadapted to be connected tothe legs of the patient.` f i -f t. Arbody and limb developer comprising a frame, front and rear axles having ground engaging wheels revolubly mounted thereon, the front axle having a central pivotal connection with thel frame, means forl steering the front. wheels, an adjustable seat, a

corset secured thereto, leg braces pivotally connected ,to the frame 4and adapted to bel secured to the legs ofthe patient, andy :resilient means for forward.

5. `libody and limb developer comprising a frame, a rear axle rrigidly secured thereto,

normally drawing the braces i Yfor steering the front wheels, an adjustable a front axle pivoted to the frame, Wheels on set connected thereto, and a pair of leg the said axles, the front Wheels having pivot'- braces connected to the frame and adapted al connection with the endS of the front toV engage the patients legs, and means for 10 axle, a steering post, a steering member Yadjusting; the brace connections.

5 pivotally connected thereto, links for oon- In testimony whereof I ax my signanecting the steering post with said Wheels, ture.

an adjustable seat on the frame, a body cor- EDWARD R. MONROE. 

